1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to antique car restoration and particularly to an alternator sub-component construction built inside an original antique generator housing or a replica housing, thereby having the appearance of an original generator but functioning with modern and improved alternator capabilities.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A generator can only put out it's maximum rated current at or above some speed. At lower speeds the output drops off very quickly. This is why a generator-equipped car will not charge or even maintain the battery at idle and this is one of the main reasons for the development of the alternator.
The generator and external voltage regulator have increasing failure rates when saddled with the demands of more modern automotive electrical applications. Many street rodders and purists look for more power from the generating system, without having to mount an alternator and take away that nostalgic look.
Every modern vehicle uses an alternator, and for good reasons. It is more complicated than a generator, but that added complexity brings a few very good features: it will charge the battery at idle and can support the higher amperages needed to run all of the electrical equipment on a modern vehicle. Alternators tend to be more reliable than a generator and have fewer hard to diagnose problems as the system ages, particularly the internally regulated models. The internally regulated models are also very easy to service if something goes wrong since there is only one part to fail (the alternator itself) and replacing it is a fairly straight forward job. This all adds up to the performance and reliability that is expected in a modern vehicle.
The key difference between an alternator and a generator is what spins and what is fixed. On a generator windings of wire (the armature) spin inside a fixed magnetic field. On an alternator, a magnetic field is spun inside of windings of wire called a stator to generate the electricity. This allows the wires to be directly and easily connected to their outputs without the need for sliding contacts to carry the relatively high output current. The magnetic field is still generated via electro magnets mounted on a rotor, and the relatively small field current that powers them is supplied to the rotor by two small brushes that each ride on a separate and continuous slip rings. The fact that the alternator has smooth slip rings, unlike the comparatively rough contacts on a commutator in a generator, and the fact that the relatively heavy windings are fixed instead of rotating allows the alternator to be spun to much higher speeds. This allows it to reach it's maximum output sooner and to be spun fast enough at engine idle speeds to produce enough electricity to power most of the needs of the car without relying on the battery.
The process of rectifying the AC current into DC current is handled inside the alternator by something more complex than a commutator—diodes. A diode is a “solid state” device that allows current to flow in one direction only without any moving parts. It relies on the different electrical properties of the materials it is made of to act as a one-way valve for current. By arranging diodes so that current from each of the three stator wires is only allowed to pass in one direction, and by connecting the three outputs together, you get a very smooth and stable DC output without any moving parts. This arrangement is typically manufactured as a single part and is referred to as the diode pack or rectifier. This lack of moving parts makes the alternator not only very reliable—but also comparatively inexpensive to build and repair.
Alternators do not need to be polarized after installation as generators do. You mount them to the engine, plug them in, and go. This is an advantage for not only manufacturing the car but for servicing it as well.
In competition, restored vehicles must retain the original look of the vehicle including all of the components under the hood.
Therefore it would be desirable to provide an alternator for vehicles originally equipped with generators, wherein the alternator components could be adapted into a system which fits inside an original equipment generator housing or accurately detailed reproduction generator housing.